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Shooter fans have heard the unfortunate truth many times before; shmups are a dying genre. In a generation where graphics have become the main spectacle, at times, the heart that leads the gaming industry forward, the simple premise behind shoot-em-ups is gradually being overshadowed by a newer market. Fans of the cult genre have been aware of this for some time now, which is why for the past few years, there seems to have been an explosion of freeware PC shmups, newfound shooter enthusiasts and unexpected Treasure localizations to systems no one saw coming (see: Ikaruga), but the most important leap of all; Cave.
A fairly small company that has been increasingly popular since their 2001 PS2 port, Dodonpachi Dai-ou-Jou. Since, fans have been in an exceeding demand for more manic shooting, craving any morsel of Cave goodness thrown their way. Fortunately, importers have had ESP Galuda and Mushihimesama to keep them busy, yet the latest one, Ibara, is a little different from the rest of the pack.
Ibara has the handle of several games wrapped into one. In reality, the latest Cave shmup consists mostly of former ex-Raizing members, which can explain many of the huge similarities between this title and the classic 1998 hit, Battle Garegga. The same gritty, bomb ammo system and beautifully animated vessel explosions we've come to love from Battle Garegga are as ever present in Ibara. Even to the point where BGM tracks are listed in the opening of each stage. The game is beautifully animated and you pilot either Negotiator Bond or Dyne through six stages to face the Rose Guardians. Fans of Mushihimesama's main protagonist will be thrilled to learn that Ibara's cast of villains are six times as beautiful as the former, but above all, said times as dangerous.
Of course, no Cave port would be complete without an Arrange Mode, and thankfully, Ibara has that in spades. As in Ibara: Black Label (the arcade edition), this Arrange Mode stocks all power-ups and lets you choose them on the fly through a Gradius-esque power bar. Switching weapons as well as aiming properties, like Garegga, adds an extra level of depth to fans who wish to tweak their fighter. The rank bar is also visible this time around, giving players an idea how hectic things are likely to become.
You'll be coming back time and time again for how beautiful the game looks and sounds, but the scoring system is as lovely a treat worth revisiting. Bombs can be launched under a shot or laser (Hadou) form. While a scatter bomb manages to cover everything on-screen, Hadou bombs cut straightforward, damaging everything in its line of fire and leaving a trail of roses that nullify any bullets it touches, turning them into point collectables (colored roses, etc) or power-ups. Roses come in different shapes and colors and each award a set amount of points and depending on where and when you shoot certain enemies (as in most Cave games), you can rack up some serious numbers by the final showdown. The rank system also returns, making the game increasingly harder the better you do, which turns arcade mode into more of a slew of suicide runs than a survival game. It's not a system that makes 1CC's very possible, but the system is insanely fun nonetheless.
Surprisingly, the game manages to demonstrate how fewer bullets do not always signify an easier game. While the former is in fact not a manic shmup whatsoever, there are ridiculously intricate bullet patterns that manage to trap even the most veteran of shmup players. Ibara is not to be taken lightly as it is incredibly addictive, but above all, self-rewarding.
It's almost uncanny that Cave's latest shmup was titled to almost mirror the game's actual impression. Suggestive themes and storyline aside, the game can be in fact, compared to a rose. It is as beautiful to watch as it is deadly, making liaison to the game's tough as nails setup. Ibara may just be right under Daioujou when it comes to the best Cave games in recent memory. That said, Ibara is as beautiful as it is challenging, and while it will definitely stump newcomers, it's a gem that all shooter fans should seriously consider picking up.
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